Herbs: Garlic (the herb that started it all)

Note: I am by no means a doctor, a nurse, or a master herbalist. The ideas and suggestions that follow are not intended as a substitutions for the medical advice of a trained health care professional. These are my own trail and errors of the herbs that work for our family. 

A couple of years ago I became very interested in the use of herbs for an alternative for ordinary sicknesses, like the common cold,  the flu, and head aches/migraines; things of that nature. I really don't like taking prescriptions or over the counter medicines unless its absolutely needed and herbs would actually not help at all.

GARLIC

This herb interested me in herbs

Garlic Allium sativum: Is high in Vitamin B6 and C. It's a natural antioxidant and is shown, in my family and in my parents family, to prevent sicknesses.

Garlic Poultice (this article first got me interested in garlic): I have seen this work wonders in our family. it has heal everything from ear aches in the children, to swollen lump nodes in my husband, to my canker sores that I get every once in awhile.

How we make a poultice:

1. lay out a double thick paper towel (you will be putting the garlic in it)
2. Break of 2 to 3 cloves from the bulb (for children I use 1 clove as it can burn their skin very easily) and remove the papery skin.
3. Crush the cloves, with either a bottom of a glass, the side of a butcher knife or in a garlic press.
4. Place the crushed cloves in the center of the paper towel and wrap it up (this is the poultice)
5. (Now you are going to prepare the poultice to use) Put warm water from the tap in a shallow bowl and place the poultice in the water for 5 seconds; remove poultice from the bowl  and squeeze out the water.
6. Place immediately on desired spot. (On a swollen lump node, on the outside of the ears, on the bottoms of the feet (alternating every 30 seconds for 4 reps), back, or chest. Just Note that when you do place this on the skin it will burn so I normally wait until I feel the burn and I take the poultice off for about a minute and place it back on the desired spot.
7. You can use this as much as you want. When I feel a mouth canker sore coming on I use the poultice to relive the pain of it (placed on the outside of my mouth) and when I feel the pain coming back I make another poultice

Garlic Oil: My mom has been known to put garlic oil in our ears, when my brother and sister where young. We would complain of being sick and we would never get sick because of her putting oil in our ears. I use garlic oil in infant ears because the poultice is a little to strong for baby skin. I get my garlic oil at the nearest Sunflower Farmers Market, but it is available in just about every health food store.

Sites to Visit: Garlic Central, Bulk Herb Store